Cherry vs Sherry
by twinklepop
Summary: Cherry and Sherry, two young member from B.O team up together in a assignment to target a certain prominent detective
1. Trailer

**Title**: Cherry vs Sherry

**Author**: twinklepop

**Genre**: Romance/ Drama/ Suspense

**Ratings**: T

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Detective Conan, it belong to Gosho sama. I just love the characters too much and like to play around with them.

**Summary**: two young girl from the Black Organisation team up to target a certain prominent detective

**Trailer**

**Cherry**: light red wine made from fermented cherry, richness in cherry flavour, creamy and buttery in taste

**Sherry**: light white wine made from fermented grape, overwhelmed in charming aroma, crisp and elegant in taste.

/

"You're the only one that can resist his charm"

/

The Great Detective talked to his girl

"I give my heart to you"

"No…" the first word the girl replied "…don't… don't do that"

"Why?" asked him with his eyebrows frowned.

"Be careful to whom you give your heart because it means you give that person the power to hurt you" she carefully said

"I trust you, Ran"

"No, Shinichi…I'll…"

Then she ran away, left him standing there dumbfound

/

Amongst the chaos, she skipped a step and fell out of the broken cliff. Her hand just reached up in vain out of reflection.

She felt her body free falling but her hand got stuck in something.

Her left hand was clutched tightly in his.

She looked surprised, dumbfound at him.

Her eyes wide-opened, gazed intensively into his

While he pulled her up, saved her life.

"Why…,Shinichi?"

He kept silence

"After what've done, I just keep hurting you… Why…Shinichi,…why?" she said between her sobs

"Because I give you the power to hurt me. It's fine, Ran" he softly told her

"But what you get in return?"

"Loving you is the most beautiful thing has happened to me."

Shinichi pulled the crying Ran in his arms.


	2. Chapter 1: The plan

**Title**: Cherry vs Sherry

**Author**: Twinklepop

**Disclaimer**: If I owned Detective Conan, the series should have been finished years ago.

**Genre**: Romance/Drama/Suspend

**Rate**: T

**Notes**: Au/ slightlyOCC

**Chapter 1 THE PLAN**

/

In a dimly lit chamber of an elegant old castle, a long silver hair man pour Gin and Cherry into a glass and took a sip, then brought it up to the rosy full lips of a young woman.

"Drink it up, we won't see each other for a long time, Sherry"

He gently but swiftly lift his wrist and helped her drink, then hungrily stolen the burning liquor in her mouth by crashing his lips forcefully on hers.

His large rough hands were over her body, her hair, her cheeks, her neck, her torso, her breast, her tummy. Her skin got hot and sensational by the crude texture of his fingertips. She moaned in pleasure. His hand continuingly went passed her thigh, went underneath her tight black dress.

The night pulled over, let the lovebirds in lullaby.

They had a devotional night at the luxurious master room in his castle.

/

Shiho Miyano was a fine, elegant and intelligent woman. Beauty and talent were two qualities that anyone could struggle for their whole life to have and for everyone to burn the torch in daylight, searching the entire world to find both in one person. And Shiho was gifted with both. At the age of 18, she was rare young prominent female scientist, playing the most important part leading the whole Organisation's main research project. She's known as successor of Hell Angel from her mother. People crowned her the Ice Queen or the Queen of Dark because of her nobility and arrogant. And because of her personality, she got hundreds of admirers from men and thousands of haters from women.

Not any man had been known to prevail her charm, even to all the coldest and emotionless wolf in B.O

At the moment, she was lying with the man whom love her. The man whose name could even roar the rigid icy air to everyone had ever heard, Gin. But she didn't certain if she loved him or not. Tracing the naked torso of the sleeping man, Shiho couldn't help but thinking about her love rival. Her lips curved and made a sexy smile.

_She nominated me for this task just to separate me and Gin but unknowingly for her, Gin always pick me as his Queen_

[…]

"_Vermouth, why you nominate Shiho. She said she wish to take a break from the laboratory doesn't mean she will get a new assignment. Don't you understand?" Gin angrily but patiently inquired_

"_But in B.O, she is the only one capable" Vermouth answered in equally disdain. "Moreover, it's not me who drew this job. You know who?" _

"_Capable? What make her capable while others don't ?" Gin adamantly asked_

_"She's young, 18 year old, beautiful..." _

_"Isn't your Goddaughter 16 as well" Gin cut her off " even more suitable" he gave her a dirty smirk_

"No_…No,Cherry is too plain and simple. She will soon fall for him before he even lays an eyes on her. Only the Ice Queen have the immune system that resist his enchantment and can exploit him for our Organisation, right?" Vermouth acutely chimed out her reasoning. _

_"Cherry and Sherry? Perfect." Chianti had been quiet for the whole time, blurt in. She seemed not interested in this so-called Secret Discussion._

_"What?" Vermouth surprised at the turn of the discussion _

"_We've done with two girl fill in this task, Sherry and Cherry" Chianti casual concluded _

"_Why Cherry?" Vermouth didn't give up_

"_Isn't Anokata demand two member in this plan. There's someone to carry out the plot to draw that brat's attention to Sherry. Cherry is perfect for this supporter, with her plain and foolish characters she is able to undertake all the tricks naturally" _

"_Good." Gin stated and took Shiho's hand and dragged her out of the room with him_.

[]

/

Tokyo's rooftop restaurant is famous for its prestige services and luscious gourmets. It only open exclusive for Platinum member of Premier Club. People, who come here, either belong to high-class citizen or possess ultimate power in society.

At the centre table beside the tall crystal wall, an enthralling woman in her dazzling black dress had her sun-bright hair cascades wavy down her shoulders. She looked softly to the young girl sitting across. Vermouth was having dinner with her goddaughter.

"How is it, Ran?" She motherly asked the girl.

"Awesome, Oba-san! I love it." the young girl chimed joyfully.

"I'll take you here more often after your assignment done."

"So I will lose in touch with you for while" it was a confirmation more than a question. Her voice hinted with gloomy.

"Organisation rule" the beautiful woman have to accept it as well.

Looking at Angel's downcast face, Vermouth reached for her hand "Sorry, I can't help…"

Sensing the worry laced in her oba-san's voice, Ran agilely assured her "Oba-san, I'm fine. I even glad that I can be my real self freely." Her smile could really lift up anything. "I'm glad to be Ran Mouri again, no more Cherry, Golden Kid, Wacky Wackie or whatsoever."

Vermouth stopped her knife and fork, pausing as if to weigh the next question "Do you like me call you Angel?"

"Of course, Oba-san! I'm grateful that you didn't call me Cherry like everyone does" Ran grinned broadly like a kid waiting for compliment..

"Because you're the pure one, not fermented yet" Vermouth took a sip from her wine.

"What does it mean, Oba-san" Ran puzzlingly asked

"A secret makes a woman woman" Vermouth smiles, her typical sexy charming smile

"Oba-san" Every time her godmother stated that motto, Ran felt something mysterious and fishy hidden deeply behind Vermouth's enchanted by broken smile. She felt pity for her godmother. Ran knew she has endure too much loss and hurt to nurture her. But there was omething she couldn't grasp and couldn't reach it. Thus she choose to be positive about the future both herself and her godmother "I will enjoy my normal life as Mouri Ran for a while"

Vermouth had to smile at her childish face "Alright, go ahead with your freedom, but don't forget your true mission"

"Yeah I know, I crave it in my heart" said Ran, playfully place a hand over hear heart to articulate her point.

Despite her goddaughter's merry, Vermouth still felt insecure about Ran "Be careful, this's serious issue. You can't joke with Organisation's task"

"I'm alright, Oba-san. I just played a supporter in this game. Sherry will be the one capture his heart" Ran reassured her godmother, tried to loosen the mood.

"Personally, I think Sherry fully capable to do it alone, you're just a catalyst to make it sooner"

"Yeah, I'll finish it quickly and come back to you"

"You know how to do it?"

"Hai, I got here, the detail instruction" Ran held up her cell phone

"A code message?" Vermouth didn't surprise

"Yeah, for security" stated Angel as the matter of fact.

"How long you need to crack it?" Vermouth casually asked

"2 days." Answered Angel

But there is familiar symbol encoding for the repetitive phrase she learn by heart, the phrase like a spell in every instruction from B.O: 'top secret'

/

/

/


	3. Chapter 2: The Instruction

CHAPTER 2 THE INSTRUCTION

Lucid morning, in the crowded street leading to Teitan High, students packed on the road, hurried to their first class at eight o'clock.

Shiho and Ran were on the first day of their mission. Briefly, it looked like they walked together on their way but if it looked closer, Shiho was seen to pace faster than her company who strolled along leisurely. Ran inhaled the fresh air of the early morning, enjoyed watching the screens passing by both sides of the street. For every one, Ran was an amiable and naïve girl who are eager and blooming at her youth. But to Shiho, Cherry was too plain and simple for her taste. She had the feeling she has to babysit this inexperience and harmless pawn in B.O.

But how can anyone blame her? Cherry was not in execution stream or operational squash. Just like her god-mother, she belong to information mining division, replied mainly on masquerade and playing disguise. That what all black wolves thought about Vermouth- Cherry, family of Halloween artists. Shiho couldn't understand why Vermouth being Boss's Favourite and why Cherry was even earned a codename which only given to prominent members. Maybe her innocent nature worked well for this type of assignment, portraying as different identities and pretending to lead a normal life.

However, Cherry wasn't aware the essential of this assignment. She still have time and mind to pay heap of heed to boring surrounding and tedious street screens. Fine, Shiho could tolerant that kind of time-consuming act because she knew Cherry just came back to Japan after years living in U.S but her caring for a bleeding bird right now is totally unbearable, like a water flowing over the cup rim.

"Ran, I don't want to be late on the first day"

"Hai! Sher-, ah no, Miya-" Ran was cut short by the deadly glare of Shiho

"Haibara" Shiho hissed

"Haibara-san" Ran drop-sweated, regret at her mistakes

"But, why you…?" Ran tried to make a normal conversation

"Miyano is a talent scientist not a random school girl"

The statement remind Ran about the defined bold border between them, Miyano Shiho is high-ranked member Sherry aka world-class scientist while Mouri Ran just a random member Cherry aka an commonly ordinary teenage girl.

"Watch out with your loud! Remember 'Harina'?" Ran listened intently to Shiho's wisdom word.

Remind her of the detail instruction for Cherry

'Harina' coding for 'top secret'

/

Class 11B, Teitan High was always dynamic and active before the lesson began. There were sounds of some diligent students flipping through pages, reviewing and preparing material for the lecture, but above all, chatter and prattle was heard even at the corridor. Today the news of two girls, transfer students, coming to classes added extra topic for the class's casual babble.

All the girls in Teitan High could envy with any girls studying in class 11B because majority of male student in this class were handsome and talent, especially the Heisei Holmes, saviour of the police force Kudo Shinichi. Every girls in class 11B felt very proud and lucky because they shared the same class with the Prince Charming heart-heart throbbed of all young ladies.

Every girls in class 11B except Sonoko Suzuki, she fed off with Kudo's popularity, his blinding grins and sexy smirks. She always complained, mocked and picked on him mercilessly.

_When the new two girls coming to class they will see the sides of him that not revealed for anyone. They will soon found out all the fame and light around him was buff. _

And the awaiting moment has come, Tokira-sensei arriving with two girls following behind him.

"Kobanwa mina-san, today our class welcome two transfer students. Hope you all will treat them nice and help them get used to the school."

Tokira sensei paused for the whole class respond in a strong union 'Hai', then he gestured to the first girl "Please c'mon in"

An azure eye brunette come in, she slightly bow and greeted the class

"Kobanwa mina-san, I'm Mouri Ran, I'm quite new to Teitain High, please help me. Thank you"

Ran settle down at the seat next to the privilege heiress Suzuki Sonoko. The first impression of Ran given to the class was she was amicable and convivial in contrast with the second girl.

The moment Shiho appeared at the class threshold, the whole class stunned by her intriguing impression, noble outlooks and disdainful yet charming aurora. Some grasps at her acute beauty. Some mesmerised by her enthralling visage, couldn't keep in their mind but breathe out in word audible. Both girls and boys competed to be seated beside her but Shiho just haughtily stated

"I prefer a desk next to the window and somewhat far from the broad"

Everyone was too easy to fulfil her request thus, no one found anything fishy in her demand.

Ran seem satisfied with the impression Shiho left on the whole class although herself didn't receive any heed from the class. It just put into the contrary, like the whole class welcome a princess and a commoner.

She dared to take a glance at her target. Ran confused when Shinichi looked at her but soon her eyes was filled with Shiho passing by and settled down at the spot beside him.

Ran smiled to herself. Shinichi was looking at Shiho and it's true as her Godmother said he couldn't resist Shiho's grace. Soon this assignment will complete successfully.

Didn't wait any longer, Ran started follow the detail instruction.

/

PLAN #007: CHEMISTRY LAB

Point of Time: initial stage, after 7 days

Plot: team up with Sherry in group work. Create an explosion in lab by pouting water in a highly acid liquid compound.

Expected consequence: Target rush to the explosion scene, gain an opportunity to approach Sherry. More or less he need to ask Sherry as she witnessed and stayed near the scene and assist Sherry in treatment for the one caused the explosion, which happened to be Sherry's teammate

Purpose: Demonstrate Sherry's intelligent in investigating the cause of the explosion, Sherry giving advice on lab safety. Demonstrate Sherry's kindness as she eagerly help her injured teammate.

Goals:

Gradually make the bond between the two

Target falls for both Sherry's smart and sweet side.

Reality-

Ran was panic as she held a tube of water and a flask of acid in her hands. Her hands was tremble as she going to create an explosion and she will severely got hurt at this close proximity.

"_You have to sacrifice to survive, Ange_l" Her godmother voice echoed in her mind.

But she was not ready. She used to think her support role will be easy and smooth because the most difficult task of charming Kudo was in charged by Sherry. When receiving the assignment, she didn't know that it could put her life at risk. A big can of acid and a little of water. If she was alive, her intact face gonna get damaged and distorted. _It's going to be hurt, really hurt._

Ran closed her eyes and lift the tube hover above the acid flask but her hands couldn't move forward because her great fear or anything else

"Ran, are you crazy?" a loud male scream. You could kill yourself by mixing these together" Shinichi kept Ran from doing such fatal act. His solid palms held tightly on her wrists.

Her eyes wide-opened, looked surprised at him. _Shinichi?_

She watched him intently as he carefully lift her hands down and gracefully detached the chemical from her hands

He smiled softly at her, wiped the sweats had formed on her high forehead as her round eyes still looked him dazzlingly.

"Sorry to shout at you, are you ok?" his eyes on her tenderly conveyed hid concern and worry

Ran didn't know what to say, thus, she just nodded.

"Alright, you know what you are doing?" He brotherly asked her

"Yeah, I pour water into acid" under his intense gaze, Ran couldn't say anything but the truth.

"No, you can't do that. Acid is highly hydrophilic, with great amount of acid and a few drop of water. Acid molecules will compete strongly for a water molecule and it will create a big explosion enough to send you to heaven, understand?"

"Yeah" being a good girl as she is, Ran nodded in agreement.

"Alright, work on team with me. I'll show you to do it properly"

"Yeah" Ran still dazed at his sweetness toward her.

The whole class including the Akemi sensei were taken aback by Shinichi's forward to the new transfer girl.

Shinichi clutched her hand, about led her to his desk when Ran sudden gathered her consciousness _"Shinichi and I in the same team? No, not the plan"_

They haven't made so far as Ran stopped walking. Shinichi couldn't drag her anymore although her hand still neatly nest in his. He looked at her confused

"Shi—Shinichi, I team up with Miy- I mean Haibara san, she's very good at science. She can help me with this task"

"But she can't protect you" Shinichi fervently stated which made Ran blinked and the whole class stunned the second time.

Realising other's reaction around him, Shinichi quickly covered up "I mean, she didn't stop you mixing the two things together when she was there. I mean… I will keep an eye on you. You need under supervision"

"But…but Haibara san will work alone ,.. no one watchs her…so can you…" Ran stammered

"No Ran! I believe Haibara san is well-managed for herself." He looked at the pretty girl Haibara Ai and smiled courteously at her. "The one I got worry is you" Shinichi firmly stated

"He's right, MOuri-san. Shinichi can watch over you. He's the best in the class. Haibara san might have rich knowledge but she doesn't pay attention to anything irrelevant to her. You need someone observe for you" Akemi sensei commented

"But sensei.."

"By the way, it's rare that Shinichi offer teamwork to anyone. You should consider yourself lucky." The young professor smiled and wings playfully at Shinichi before directing class's attention to the chemistry experiments at hand.

Now, Ran was on the same team with Shinichi.

/

Biology lecture just finished a minute ago. No later than Tomaki sensei walked out of class, did Ran collapsed, her head on her desk. Students was heading to cafeteria for lunch while she didn't bother touch the bento box in her bag.

Ram felt desperate. It's had been more than one week but Shinichi hadn't had sufficient contact or communication with Sherry despite Ran's several attempt to bring those two together.

_Did my task just failed dramatically? _

Sherry insisted on not making the first move. She determined to wait for him approaching her as other men had done.

"_I'm pulling him in, don't worry. You can rest for a while" Sherry told her._

_Yeah I hope so. Ran thought to herself _

And Shinichi seem not being influenced under Sherry's charm, which made her unexpected and despaired.

_Does he heartless or his heart made of ice so he stayed indifferent toward Sherry? _

_Or does his mind was too sober and absorbed in other big things so he lost the sense to admire beauty_

_Shinichi, why you make my life so difficult? _

Ran closed her eyes and tried to find some peace in mind among the chaos thought about him. She heard his voice above her head 'Hey, Ran'. She opened her eyes and his curious face filled her sight. She chose to ignore it as she thought he walked out of her mind due to her overthinking about him

"Go away Shinichi, I don't want to talk to you yet" Ran murmured to herself rather than supposedly to Shinichi but he still caught her soft whisper.

"Why, Ran?" he asked

"Not until the next plan…" Ran absent-minded answered

"Which plan?"

"Hey Ran, do you see Harina recently" Ran abruptly sat up, lifted her head straight from the table as her ears picked up the sound 'Harina', while Shinichi slowly shifted his eyes to the source of voice

"Hai-Haibara san?" Ran sudden got her wit back

"Ran, do you see Harina recently?" Sherry repeated the question, hidden her stern look at Ran

"Yeah" Ran just looked puzzled at her.

'_Harina' code for 'top secret' and Sherry remind me this. Did I slip out anything?_

Now did Ran fully aware that Shinichi was really beside her.

Sensing Ran's invisible fear and drown in the eerie state, Shinichi determined to help her out of it

"Harina –san is a girl?" Shinichi asked the two girls

"No, Harnia isn't…" Again Ran was compelled to tell the truth whenever Shinichi around

"It's a boy, Ran's boyfriend" Shiho smiled softly at Shinichi leaving the stunned Ran looking back and forth between them.

"Really? Ran?" Shinichi didn't believe it and need a confirmation from her

"Yeah" was all Ran said.

"Tell him give me the genetic project we are working on" said Shiho then she walked away, leaving Shinichi alone with Ran

"Ran are you OK?" he concerned

"Yeah,…I'm fine" she fused and felt uncomfortable at his concern

"But you don't looked like you're fine." He didn't satisfied with her half-hearted answer

"Please Shinichi, I don't wanna talk with you now" Ran tried…again tell him the truth

/

PLAN #369: BASKETBALL PRACTICE

Point of time: initial stage, after 1 month (Notes: Target still haven't get close to Sherry)

Plot: wait for the moment when target passed by Sherry. Throw the ball at her.

Expected consequence: Target happened stayed near Sherry, being a gentlemen as he is, Target will catch her into a protective embrace, asked if she was fine (if possible Sherry should faked severe bruises) then he will treat her in the health centre. Give Sherry an excuse to be friendly toward him due to gratitude.

Purpose: Provoke the hero side of a detective, desire to protect innocent by-stander from any harm or danger. Shinichi has a chance to look at Sherry closely, examine her scratches, realised her undeniable charming.

Goals:

Shorten the distance from them. Increase the physical contact.

Create a bond between them. Shinichi felt attached to her due to the responsibility to care and protect her.

Reality-

Ran took a deep breath, prepared to throw a ball at Shiho. She narrowed her eyes, aimed for Shiho's head but her arms felt numb, unable to move. This task seemed more difficult than the task in the first plan. Injuring herself in the chemistry lab was far easier than throwing a ball at Shiho. She couldn't purposely hurt anyone for no reason. Well, there is a reason but it just too tough for her. She always feel guilty and uneasy if someone get hurt or badly impacted by her action. The tickles in her gut, the butterfly in her stomach, the nervousness inside her chest restrained her from doing any harm to others.

Maybe Shiho was wrong when choosing this plan for her. Shiho thought this Cherry girl was a coward, afraid of getting hurt so she hesitated to create the explosion, which gave time for Shinichi to stop the plan. This time, Shiho willing to take the physical injuries just to make some progress for their assignment. It's been six weeks and the situation still remained the same. Shinichi seem possess a strong immune toward her enchantment. Choosing this plan, she thought Cherry would act faster but she was too slow as always. Seeing her flurry face and clumsy act, Shiho couldn't help but let out a dull sign. _Cherry, you are such a useless and plain as the nut on the cake._

After a few moments, Ran took her courage to carry on her task. She thought about the reliability the Organisation had put on her, the pleasant union with her Godmother when the mission accomplished. Inhale, let the air flowed fully into her lung, Ran squeezed her eyes shut and threw the ball.

It flew with great speed, heading to Shiho and perfectly Shinichi walked up to her.

_Ran!? _

"Ran"

Ran reopened her eyes, looking at the scene in her sight: Shinichi was firmly standing upright with the ball neatly in his hand. Shiho seemed not be hit but stayed a few steps behind him. He seemed not to notice Shiho but kept on walking toward Ran.

At the close distance, Ran felt him so high and tall like knight in amour compare to her average height.

"Play basketball with your eyes open!" he smiled softly, his fingers tenderly tapped on her forehead, his breath just above her head.

Ran couldn't make a comprehend response.

"You could hit Haibara-san with this ball"

She nodded slowly, completely dazed by the stern laced in his voice.

"Do you know how to handle a ball?" his tone soften, asking her

Ran didn't know whether to nod or shake her head. Shinichi laughed at her childish.

"Come, I'll teach you!"

'

'

'

Now Ran was holding the ball and aimed for the nest, but it was just stubbornly allergy to the goal under the control of her hands. Three times in a row, target missing.

"Shinichi, I give…" her gaze steady down, Ran threw it at the floor

"Ran, wait, watch me" Shinichi cut her off. He did not allow her to give up and he never give up on her.

Shinichi demonstrated the technique again. Ran watched his determined stare at the nest, his robust arms controlled the ball, his strong legs stable on the floor. She was staring at the brilliant captain of the Basketball team.

"Ran, come" he gestured to come to him as seeing the bewildered look on her face. Ran follow his lead.

"Alright, you hold it like this" Shinichi put the ball in her hands but his hand still touch it. He walked around her back and settled his arms over hers. If anyone passing by, they would mistake Shinichi hugging Ran from behind.

Ran forget all about the ball, the nest, the practise, the people surrounding. Her senses just focus on his warmth that embraced her tightly. The feeling of his body perfectly against her.

"Ran, look at the nest. See, you can strike it in." His laugh reach her ears "C'mon try again"

"Shinichi, I can't" Ran slowly turned around

"Why?"

"You" Their eyes locked. Her azure orbs confront his sapphire twin fearlessly, blaming him to take the ground under her feet.

His eyes gradually widened in shock but then soften as deducting her implied meaning.

"Ran" but before he could anything, she has walked away.

He just ran after her, grasped her hand. It not a normal clutch. He pulled her in with great force due to urgency. Her body crashed fervently against his. He had his hands on her head as they fell backward, landed on the floor. Ran was on top of him and another basketball just bounced weakly nearby

"That's was close, Ran" again his joyful laugh filled her ears

_Shinichi_

_You _

_Why_

_Why you didn't catch Sherry like this?_

/

At the shared apartment of Shiho and Ran, there was having a serious conversation

"Cherry why do you think he kept on approaching you?"

"I thought he want to approach you but he still…hesitate. So he want to use me as a bridge to get you. Since I happen to closer to you than anyone in our class. Maybe his method different from others?"

"No Cherry. He was trying to get information from you. I think you get suspicious."

"What,…wait, why?" Ran started to get panic. Getting suspicious means giving out Organisation's information and the punishment she will face is death

"Easy, Ran. I'm not going to report that" Shiho called her real name out of impulse because at the moment, she has nothing to match with a qualified member as Cherry.

"From now on, watch your words, don't slip anything out" Ran just nodded

"Funny. It's you supposed to support me now it seemed I have to cover up for you"

"Thank you Miyano san" Ran called her real name because at the moment, she was too kind for the Icy Queen Sherry she used to know.

"Alright, now put your detail instruction aside, follow my plan" Shiho said with determination

"Hai" Ran just merrily obeyed.

/

Ran got the message from Haibara "_You can leave now"_ replying to Ran's message to Shiho _"He's on the way to you"_

Ran felt relieved now. Sherry's plan seem easy on her part and efficient. Ran just completed her task tactfully telling Shinichi that Haibara was dealing with some tough case. That Haibara was an admirable person that she chose to keep the difficult for herself rather than trouble others with her problem. That recently Haibara seem tired due to sleepless nights over the case.

And as the effect, Shinichi grew curiosity on the intriguing case and asked Ran the where-about of Haibara. And now he going to make the first move approach Shiho in the library.

Ran satisfied with the result, she was told to hang around at school after class until Shiho met Shinichi. Shiho's message indicated that she had achieved her task.

Smiling broadly to herself, Ran found her way out from the empty Karate studio. This is the only place she found interesting in this school. But she couldn't participate in Karate class because Ran have to sign up for basketball practise to help Shiho and Shinichi together.

Thus, every chance, she got free time she always come here, just to acknowledge the presence of karate in this school and the presence of passion in her mind.

Unluckily for her, today was not the sport day thus, the sport hall was desert and empty. When she got there, the sun still shine but after waiting Shinichi coming for Shiho, the sun had set and she found herself alone this spacious empty building alone in the dark. Severe chills running down her spine, her skin got goose bump and her legs got tremble as she tracing down the way of this scary hall.

More unfortunately, Ran was bad at direction plus the gloomy dark corridor plus her unreasonable fear for ghost made Ran get cold feet. She didn't know which way to move, where to go, thus; she just collapse against the wall, hiding her face on her knees and deeply in her arms, trying to calm herself down and survive the night here. Then, sudden, she heard the steel door cracked open- someone open the entrance and coming in. But at this hour, who would be coming?

Ran tightly squeezed herself together as if to be engulfed by the dark so what sort was coming couldn't find her. She heard the footstep getting near her and some force let itself plunged next to her. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper. All the blood stayed numb under its veins. Ran didn't dare to breathe. She kept ranting and praying in her head she would survive until a hand tapped on her shoulders and 'Hey Ran'

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

All the restrained emotion and suppress turmoil, Ran let it out now or never in the searing fearful scream. She's about on her feet to flee for life, only realise her body was held back and cuddle into something very warm

"It's me, Ran"

"Shinichi?"

The alarmed Ran had simmered down as the source of his voice and the contact of his arms.

Ran had her face buried in his chest, took in his masculine timber wood aroma. Her arms tightly wound around his neck. With closed eyes, Ran tried to reassure herself by the sense of safety embedded in his warmth.

Shinichi basically had her in his lap. She straddle him. He set his back against the wall. One of his arms surrounded her back, the others stroke her arm, her shoulder, her back with an aim to ease her fear. His hand came up to cup her cheek, bury in her silk hair. He couldn't help, his lips reached for her forehead, formed a light butterfly kiss that she couldn't even notice. He guided her head to rest under his chin, pulled close. His nose overwhelmed by her enchanted sweet scent of orchid.

After some moments, Ran completely recovered from her breakdown but it was way far too comfortable for her to lift her head from his shoulders. She greedily took in everything of him. She wished to stay in his warmth, his aroma and his embrace for the rest of her life

But something snagged at the back of her head, she lazily traced circles on his torso out of her subconsciousness. He could felt her fingertip through the thin fabric of his shirt. It got him crazy and burning in passion. He was dragged out from the bliss by her soft voice

"Why are you here, Shinichi?"

"I have wrapped up the case with Haibara san."

"Wrap up?" He said like he did it in a hurry

"Yeah, it's rather interesting case"

_Why don't you stay with her? Invite her for dinner? Or seize the time to talk with her more? _

Many questions marks hovered in her head but she chose this one to ask him

"Why are you here?" His answer seem not match her enquiry so she asked again "I mean…why you decide to come here after the talk with Haibara san?"

"Looking for you!" come his firm reply.

"To look for me?"

More bundles of question marks floating in her mind that made her completely at sea, can't grasp what's going on

"Why you look for me and Why you know me here?"

Shinichi just answered the second question.

"Haibara and I choose the table near the window, looking directly to the school's entrance and I didn't see you passing by so I guessed you are still in school" he paused to looked at Ran's stunning face. He enjoyed her dazzling look out of purity.

"From the time I left you, it's about 2 hours, the only place in this campus which can keep you that long is Karate practice hall. So here I am" He smiled sweetly at her, proudly delivered his deduction to her.

"Shi-ichi" was all she could mustered

"Surprised?" he kindly asked, presented her his Colgate smile

All the time, Ran just looked up at him from her spot on his shoulder, mesmerised by his irresistible charm and angelic smiles. But above all, what touched her heart is his smart words, keen deductions and generous acts for her.

"You-you care for me?" he was so close that Ran could see hints of crimson on his cheeks through the flick of light in the dark.

Her innocent eyes still peeked up at him, stared at him with undivided attention. With her head still nest in the crook of his neck, the distance between them was so small that only a little shift he could capture her full rosy lips on his. But he was bugged by her words, too reluctant to admit it now. He chose to ignore it.

"Alright Ran, get up! I take you home"

He helped her on her feet and he himself straighten up in full upright position. Ran was captive by his full broad shoulders and tall valiant posture.

Her feet wasn't even stable on the ground for a minute before he swiftly scooped her up bridal.

"Shinichi" she quailed in amazement

"What?" he asked her as if what he doing was very casual

"You-" Ran couldn't make a comprehend sentence

"Would you like to be lost in the dark AGAIN or let me carry you out" Shinichi smirked

Ran hesitated as if weighting each option, indeed, she had already knew what she want but just too shy to speak it out loud

"The—the second one" she timidly replied

"Hm? What? Which is the second one" Shinichi continued carrying Ran but still wanted to tease the poor girl.

Ran unconsciously snuggled closer into his firm chest, tried to hide her shyness, she murmured "You carry me"

"You don't like it?" He pretend to stop short.

"No" Ran nuzzled deeper against him, her hands slightly clutch on his shirt

"Ran?" Shinichi didn't give up

"I'd …I love it…Shinichi… please" her cheeks stroke slightly over his torso, her face burning and her cheek gone beet red.

Shinichi laugh cheerfully, carried her out the desert Sport Hall.

/

PLAN # 00910: FAKE A CASE

Point of time: intermediate stage, after 3 months

Plot: Cherry plays the injured victim of the case. Attract target. Pinot, the culprit, left some intriguing hints at the crime scene, evoke his desire to trace out the truth.

Expected consequence: With her smart wit and exceptional intelligence, Sherry happened to be the target's deduction partner. He and she will investigate and solve the case together.

Purpose: Take advantage of Sherry's strength, her agile mind and profound knowledge would make a perfect collaboration with the target. Therefore, enhance his affection attachment to her based on his admiration for her and her same wavelength as him.

Goals:

Give the base for professional and emotional attachment of target to Sherry. As his mind was all on cases and his passion to pursue the truth, target would think of Sherry as his amazing partner in investigation.

Target feels missing his great assistant whenever he's on a case again.

Reality-

Ran and Pinot checked the empty ballroom.

_Good. No one was near. _

Pinot paced around the large hall, examined everything set up in place. Satisfied with her work, she walked toward Ran. _One more step to complete it_

"Cherry, the final one"

Ran took out a prepared liquid- packages from her bag.

"Cherry, I didn't mean it" Pinot looked dangerously to the girl "You think he will fall for this?"

"I got it from HNG lab" Ran then pointed to the barcode on its label "See, passed test-"

OUCH !

Words caught in her throat, Ran crumbled and trembled on the floor as Pinot finish her last step

"Bear a little bit, Angel. I'll give you some morphine. Leave the rest to Sherry"

_Shinichi _

When Ran nearly gave up consciousness, she couldn't help but whisper his name in her thought although she knew her knight in armour couldn't be there to save her.

One last look at the injured girl, Pinot quickly disappeared.

.

.

.

Moment later, the ballroom was crowded with people as someone discovered a student got attacked there.

Shinichi came to the scene immediately. The wooden door swung opened, revealed a bleeding Ran laying on the floor. He swiftly rushed to her. Pulled her close to him. Gathered her face in his secure arms. Brought her head near to his. Shinichi gave her forehead a light kiss before carrying her to the health clinic.

His steps pacing fast across the large ballroom, went pass the Ice Queen together with group of people was examining the leads in the background.

His chest twisted as the blood trimming down from her temple to her cheek. The iron smell of the red liquid made his heart shrink.

_Baka Ran _

He set her down on the patient bed.

As gently as possible, Shinichi cleaned the traces of blood on her face. But because of the acid in astringent, Ran squirmed at the liquid made contact with her skin. Her squeezed shut, her eyes eyebrows frowned, her pretty face winced in distress. Shinichi couldn't just stay there and watch her suffering alone. He did the only thing his mind could think of, in this situation, to lessen her pain.

His hand stopped its work on her injures, moved to cup her cheek.

Shinichi leaned in, placed a kiss on her lips. The moment his mouth covered hers, Ran's expression softened. Her face relaxed, her muscles smoothed. Ran stopped fighting against the astringent. She seemed mimic the movement of his lips on hers. He has succeeded. Ran became quiet and stay still for him to treat her wounds.

Finishing the bandage around her head, Shinichi tenderly smashed his lips on hers.

Somehow, contented with her treated wounds, he made his way back to the crime scene, determined to find out who did that to her.

.

.

.

Shiho still examined the evident left at the screen, paid no attention to Shinichi although she has noticed the moment he came back the ballroom.

Shinichi stood quite far away, watched over Shiho did investigation alone.

"Did you find anything?" he spoke up, crushed the hush hush context of the investigation.

Shiho seemed ignore him. She didn't want the way he talked so haughty and superior.

Shinichi walked toward her, plunged down next to her on the floor

"Hey" he tried first

"Hey" she half-hearted replied

"What the matter here?" he pretended to interested in the hints.

"Unusual marks on the floors, react positive with iodine"

"Interesting! Conclusion?"

"Someone with iodine remnant might be here when Ran san was attacked"

"I knew who it was"

"You knew?"

"Yeah"

Shinichi gestured Shiho to follow him into a quiet place where there's only two of them.

"I knew the motive of the culprit"

"The motive? You knew the culprit's identity" Shiho surprised at his deduction, she was sure he hasn't seen the hints Pinot left on the screen

"Not exactly but I certain on the motive" Shinichi paused, looked at the amazed Shiho. Give her a moment to grasp the implication behind his words.

Silence engulfed the two as the sun set feast their eyes a beautiful display. Sun set often presented for nostalgia, gloomy and complication. He contemplated, choosing the words to get his message clear to her.

"I'm interested in her." Shinichi deliberately said

"What?" Shiho's astonishment at his sharp change of speech

"I'm interested in Ran… So they don't need to go to such extend to get my attention" his gaze steadily on Shiho

"You what?" Shiho couldn't believe that he confessed his love to another girl with her.

"The case today is just a bad set up to draw me toward her. As I said, I care for her more than I even imagined. What they want from me, just come directly to me. Don't hurt her anymore."

Shinichi forced a smile, attempted to alleviate the tensed situation.

"Haibara san, I don't want to do it. It's awkward to tell you but I have no choice."

"How much do you know about us" her icy glare cast on him

Shinichi confidently smiled in return and show his deduction.

*** A/N ***

I try to keep all characters original as in the manga but this is a AU world plus my imagination so the task become quite difficult. If you find something wrong, let me know. I may improve in the next chapter

I write the story based on some plots in the manga to make sure the characters not going out of the cannon too much eg such as the scene Shinichi give bandage for Ran (file 646-654: What she really want to ask).

In my opinion, Shiho portrayed in my story wasn't disdainful enough compared to her character in the manga. Could you guy give me comments or advice on how adjust Shiho's behaviour or words in this story?

Thank you for reading and commenting ^^

Twinks


	4. Chapter 3: The Reality I

Chapter 3 THE REALITY

The early evening was peaceful with a few lazy cloud and light breeze of wind. On the dimly lit street, Shinichi took Ran to his home. She was soundly asleep on his back due to the effect of astringent.

Upon arriving at his grand mansion in Beika, he carried her straight to his room, lay her down on his bed. Watching the sleeping girl, Shinichi beware of his growing affection for her. He just wanted to shield her from any harms, to protect her from all the wickedness, even though he knew that she belonged to the villain force against him. Tracing her visible bruises, his heart clenched. She had no idea what she put him through. _Having her in his arms, fragile and bleeding_.

Why she agreed to play their games? Only if she knew how much he cares?

_Did I play it too cool that you didn't realise or are you to naïve to notice it?_

_Baka Ran_

His hand lovingly slid down her cheeks, tugged a stray strands behind her ears. Shinichi smiled at the feeling of her softness underneath his fingertips. His heart raced at she sightly leant into his touch. Her closed eyelids were less strained compared with a few hours earlier, they seemed to be relished in her deep slumber. Her mouth hinted a little smile as if she was having a good dream. Her lips was quivering as if to say something. He had to lean closer to catch what she said. His vascular system escalated. Adrenaline rushed through his veins. His mind began fantasizing.

_Shin-ichi _

She breathed out his name.

It enough for him at this moment

.

.

.

Ran was about to gain back consciousness. Her eyes blinked a few times before it fully open. Everything was blurred at first but her eyes quickly refocused on the semi-dark space above her head. She tried to sit up but the searing pain throughout her body impeded all her attempt. Most obvious was the deep cut on her head. Her brain seemed drained out just to put her senses together. Most enduring was the ardent heat over her abdomen as if aggregate of blood running there and send her delicate skin on flare.

The only thing that kept her awaken and fighting against those pains was the alluring scent overwhelmed the room. This place was obviously foreign to her but oddly familiar. The smell of earthy timber-wood and musky basil imbued her with secure and intimacy. Ran enjoyed herself, realised the fragrance coming from the bed, the pillow and the blanket she had slept on. She just reached out and grasped the fabric, buried her nose in it.

The sweet flavour warmed up her body and eased the physical hurt. While her nasal sense was busy with the aroma treatment, her hearing couldn't discern that the door cracked open and she only perceived someone approaching her until he came to her bed.

_Shinichi?! _

He smiled upon seeing her sheepish face, noticed her face was covered under his blanket which was clutched tightly in her hands over her nose. His masculine ego puff up, knowing she liked his cologne.

"Hey" He settled down next to her, his hand impulsively stroke her head as if a brother treat his little sister.

"Hey" she muttered back

"Don't you feel hurt anymore?" he gently checked her bandaged head, amused by the look of her reverie face.

She slightly shook her head but she got tired from remaining in the same position for a while.

"Could you help me sit up?" Ran quietly asked

Instinctively feeling something wasn't right, he still wrapped his arm around her upper back, helped her up and let her back lean against the bed wall. Although he has done every moves as carefully as possible, her face twisted and her mouth opened but no sound coming out, as if she tried to shallow a silent cry.

"Ran, you OK?"

"Yeah" said that but her hands clutched tightly to her chest. Her eyes barely closed as if to suppress the hidden pain.

"Do you hurt anywhere?" he asked in deep concern. Shinichi grew alarm at her current state getting worse.

"My head" Shinichi seemed not satisfied with her answer. She didn't touch her head when answering him.

"Anywhere else?"

Consider it for a brief second, she felt painful but couldn't pinpoint where it was. Obviously, her head summon most of her attention.

"Uhm…only my head" Ran weakly replied.

"Are you sure?" Shinichi suddenly brought his face close to her as if he could locate her pain better than her.

"Yeah,-I'm all good" her voice laced a bit scared and embarrassment at their sudden closeness.

"Not just your head, not hurt anywhere else?" he kept his forehead firmly against hers.

"No-" her voice tremble, her body shuddered as his eyes penetrated deeply into hers, demanding the truth.

Shinichi left Ran no time to react as his lips crashed tenderly on hers. It started in slow rhythm and turned into ardent heat as he powerfully attacked hers, and Ran willingly let him dominant. Her hands on his chest, bravely rose to clutch his shoulders. Even more boldly, his hands moved down from her neckline to the valley of her chest and unbuttoned her shirt all the way.

Her fingers came over his hand, in attempt to stop his boldness but only to let him deepen the kiss and took control again.

His hands successfully finished its task with her shirt. Shinichi forcefully yanked it out of her shoulders, reveal her bare bright skin contrast with the dark bleeding bruises on her chest. Until then, Shinichi returned Ran her breath.

"What's this, Ran?" he slightly traced the bruises which were heavily bleeding underneath her skin.

Ran shook her head, implied 'I don't know'. She hadn't seemed to recover from his powerful dominance, couldn't grasp what's going on, what's just happened. What a mess he put her in with the sudden attack of that kiss?

"You're stubborn to endure all of it on your own?" Shinichi sighed, reached for the first kit on the night stand and applied it on her.

Ran just watched in silence at his focus eyes, diligent hands on her body at the tiny proximity. She could heard his heartbeat, feel his hot breath on her bare skin.

Aware of her exposed body, Ran turned her head to one side and accidentally grant him better access and better view to her flesh. Shinichi couldn't help but placed a soft kiss on her neck and whispered seductively in her ears

"Don't make me worry again"

Then walked out of the room, left the stunning Ran behind, buttoned up her shirt.

.

Ran mesmerized at him. Her eyes riveted on his back as he walked to the doors, even followed his figure even though he had been disappeared behind the wall. Her mind couldn't register what had happened, let along understood it. It could have knocked her out with a feather. Ran touch her soft lips which was latched with his hot ones minute ago.

He kissed me?

_Unbelievable! Is it a dream? _

Shinichi kissed me!

_He did, my lips…hurt_.

_But …._

Does he love me?

_No! It's impossible! _

Why could he? Why should he?

While Ran was left speechless with tons of question marks messed up in her mind, Shinichi came back with a smoking porridge on his hand.

"You should be hungry" he smiled. The one who had taken the ground under her feet came back. Wondering if he continued to send her over the moon.

Ran sat up right, apart from the bed wall, curious round eyes looked at him walking to her side.

What happened next was something she could never have imagined even in her wildest dream.

Ran couldn't tear her eyes off him. She looked at him attentively from the way he slowly brought the spoon to his mouth, blowing the smoke away then carefully delivered his homemade porridge to her lips. What even more surprised her was she opened her mouth obediently and swallowed the food. It didn't taste like oatmeal in her mouth but more like a drop of adrenaline passed through her throat and landed in her gut. Gaiety filled up every cell in her body.

Shinichi couldn't hide his broad smile on his face seeing her sheepish expression. His eyes shift to the spoon of porridge in his hand then flicked tenderly at her face. He amused at the thought that she look like being mesmerised under his spell.

For few moments passed by until Ran recovered her composure, she then able to asked him the question that fervently bothered her the most.

"Shin'ichi, why you knew I had bruises underneath…" _my shirt._ The last part she was too shy to mention it

"I can detect the distinct iron smell of blood." he confirmed casually

"No way" Ran exclaimed disbelieved

"It's not strange, you know the fiercest predator of the ocean, the great white shark. It can detect a droplet of blood dissolving to part of millionth miles away. We're detective just like shark follows the blood to arrive on the crime scene"

"Shark?!"

Shinichi smiled and stroked her silk hair as she looked up at him in daze with great admiration.

"Now tell me who did that to you?" his hand come to cup her cheek while his finger twisted her silky strand around and pull her face closer to him. His eyes read her intensively, eliminated any chance of lies.

"P—Pinot" Ran spoke out of her impulsive.

"Pinot?... Why that person attacked you?"

"Because she said I'm Angel, I can endure it" Ran just answered him as if she was hypothesised

Shinichi couldn't help but hugged her in his arms. _She must have suffered a lot for this stupid game._

"Baka Ran, you're vulnerable and fragile and need to be protected." His head on hers, his nose buried in her soft hair, took in her sweet orchid scent. He softly placed a long kiss on her head.

"Don't worry, Shinichi. It's all worth for Sherry"

"Sherry?! Is this the short brown hair girl?"

"Yeah, she's Shiho"

/

In the grand Library of the Kudo mansion, full of sunshine. The morning freshness filled the room through the open huge class windows.

"Akai san, I confirmed they're from the B.O"

"…"

"Do you know anyone called Pinot, Sherry, Shiho and Angel?"

Shinichi 'voice steadily and persistently spoke over the phone. The other side come a calm mature voice of a FBI agent

"Sherry aka Shiho Miyano was a talent scientist, a rare gem of B.O leading all major research projects. Pinot is an exceptional assassin, well-known for ruthlessness and maliciousness. And Angel, well there's no such name exist in B.O, stick to the alcohol, young tantei-san"

"Thus, she's NOT one of them?" a tint of hope weighted in Shinichi's voice

"B.O never let outsider inside their secret mission. Perhaps, it's not her name?" Akai's acutely remarked

"Angel is Vermouth's adopted daughter." Another voice stained in agony and hatred arisen

_Jodie sensei_ Shinichi can hear her through the phone.

Akai didn't surprised that Jodie had make a profound research about Vermouth. She wanted to hunt down the woman had created the tragic fate for her family.

"Jodie, you knew?" It was an invitation to join their conversation than a mere question.

"You had known Vermouth as a woman of multi-faces, a master of disguise carried out many personalities. Her daughter is the same, impersonate any person under her mother's talents."

Shinichi clutched the phone tightly in his hands, listen earnestly to Akai and Jodie's conversation determined to find out the identity of the girl who has the name of Angel.

.

"Angel coded name as Cherry. Vermouth showed a deep devotion and somehow real love for her. Something I felt very fishy" Jodie sordidly replied, disrespect for the people mentioned above.

"Cherry?" Akai frowned, trying to relate something to the name "She must not be in the Operation Squash."

"She's Informatics spy, a game supporter, under the shade of Vermouth" Jodie affirmed.

_Cherry and Angel._ Akai found it amusing. Among the B.O's raven with exquisite callousness, member hierarchy and superior ranked were measured by the extreme of brutality and mischievousness, Angel nickname was a vicious humiliation.

It held the true. There was a big oppression against Ran being called Cherry because she was just any anonymous squid in B.O, receive and commit mission. She was too harmless and pure to qualify for such a codename. A codename was only granted for outstanding and elite members.

"I can tell resentment spread over B.O widely when Angel become Cherry" Akai summoned up his remembrance during two years undercover in B.O.

"This young girl seemed has a bad experience there" Jodie commented.

"But thank to Vermouth, she still survives until now. She lives under safe shadow of Vermouth. She had never given any mission without the involvement of her mother. If Cherry's out there, watch out! Vermouth will showed up" Akai concluded.

/

Late afternoon, dull clouds covered the grey sky as it was about to rain. An elegant woman showed up at Kudo mansion's gate. She has a blond hair curl up in a graceful ballerina bun.

Shinichi answered the doors after three door bells "Konbanwa"

"Konbanwa, are you Mr. Kudo Shinichi?" the woman formally addressed

"I'm Kudo Shinichi" he calmly replied

"Is Ran-chan here with you?" the woman couldn't hide the worries, urgent and anxiety in her voice

"…" _Ran-chan!?_

" I heard she got badly injuries and you are the one take care for her" her eyes pleading, emotions venting inside as if yearning to know the whereabout of Ran.

"You are…?" Shinichi left the question hang in the air

"I'm Ran's mother, Eri Kisaki Mouri" she tumbled in her bags, got out her business card.

Shinichi noticed the wing charms on her bracelets as she presented her card to him.

_The bracelet similar to Ran's _

…

_Cherry's out there, Vermouth will show up. _

_She's master of disguise _

_Vermouth showed a deep devotion and somehow real love for her. Something I felt very fishy_

…

Shinichi parted the door open, led the woman inside the house, to the bedroom where Ran's staying.

The woman claimed to be Ran's mother, dashed to her bed. She firmly clutched Ran's hand, checked the wound in her head. Her eyes watery as she caressed the cheek of the sleeping girl. Her sapphire orb brimful with tears as she supressed a silent lament for the poor girl laying there vulnerable in her sight.

_Ran, my little Angel _

Eri hand on Ran's forehead stopped stroking as Ran winced in pain.

_It must be hurt, sweetie_

Tears streaming down her face as she couldn't do anything to wipe away her daughter's torture. Eri lean in, tried to embraced the girl across her chest, only to notice her lips quivering and caught her soft whisper

_Shinichi _

Eri looked at her daughter strangely. Ran had been away from her just more than a month but she now whispered a guy's name in her unconsciousness. It took her aback, cost her a moment to define who Shinichi is.

Amongst her mother love for Ran, deep concern for her well-being and taut lament for her current situation, Eri couldn't help but feel hollowed and futile at realising that she was not the first one nor the only one her daughter called in her rough sleep. She had been with her the whole life while that strange boy just knew her for briefly a month.

_Ran, what happened?_

The fear of losing her daughter got bigger in her chest. Her daughter was a very naïve and gullible young girl, susceptible and easily to be deceived.

_Ran, my little Ran _

The smell of the smoking porridge caught her attention when a bowl was placed on the night stand on the other side. Eri looked across to see Shinichi kneeling beside Ran, one of his hand clutch on Ran's, the other tenderly stroked her cheek. His eyes looked at her daughter lovingly, brimful of caresses and overindulgence. Eri knew her daughter was not wrong.

"Ran" he breathed softly near her ears "Wake up, see who coming for you" his face brightened, his looked sparking as he saw Ran slowly reopened her eyes.

And the first word Eri heard coming from her daughter's lips was …again his name

"Shinichi?" her sleepy drowsy voice reminded Eri of a little kitten. She couldn't blame Ran for calling the boy's name. After a good fifty days of waiting and apart, Eri heard her daughter's voice for the first time. The sound was so cute and lively. _She's fine she's fine_

"Ran, your mother coming" Shinichi gently told Ran, slight tilt his head to one side, to her mother' side.

Eri firmly pressed the charms bracelet on Ran's palm, which make her turned to her side and gradually acknowledged her true identity.

"Oka-san" Ran cheerfully greeted her, her voice filled with excitement and enchantment

"Hey, sweeties" Eri motherly stroke her cheeks and placed a quick kiss on her forehead

"Oka-san" Ran joyfully repeat the words she wanted to call for whole good month apart "you're here" She said as if to confirm, to asserted that she's not dreaming

"I'm here, baby" Eri's tears flowed heavily. How she miss her baby. How she could agree to let her little Ran go away. She brought her intertwined hands with her daughter closer, touched to her face. Shinichi spot the identical wing charms as if each making a complete pair of wings on the mother-daughter wrist bracelet.

"Mom don't cry" Ran's hand clumsily moved in her mother's clutch, tried to clean the tears on her cheek.

Eri just nodded.

"Do…they know?" Ran hesitantly asked

Eri shook her head

"So…it couldn't … longer…." Words difficultly slip out of her mouth. She didn't want to think about it but she had to face it

"Sorry, Angel" Eri mouth the words to her, not even make a sound

As Ran's prediction, Eri phone vibrated, Ran just knew it.

"MOM" she tried to scream out with her fatigued body "…please…!" Ran remained her audible seem-like monotone. Her voice got hoarse, her back plumped to the bed after attempt to sit up, pull her mother back. There only her intertwined hands with her Mom, she squeezed it, tightly pinned it on her chest.

"…Ran…I…"_cant_ Eri tried to speak between her sobs. Tears stained wet on her cheeks, she didn't care there's another one witnessing their emotional breakdown. She didn't have a heart to loosen the grip on her daughter's hand. She also cling on it as the last physical contact for their emotional connect.

Ran was a sensible girl. Despite the uttermost need for her mother and her worn-out body desperate to make her stay, Ran bitterly loosen her grip on her mother's hand

"When…Mom…?" She didn't give up yet.

"Soon…Ran…" Eri smiled sweetly and yearningly at her daughter "Bye, Angel"

Finally, Eri gathered her compose and detached herself from her precision angel.

She turned to Shinichi "Thank you, Kudo kun". She extend her hand toward him

He accepted her hand "My pleasure, Mouri-san"

"Please…" Eri considered whether to continue or not

"I'll" he firmly asserted.

The conversations between them were very scared of words but they all understood very well. Words sometimes are unnecessary, the heart and the eyes had spoken most, crystal clear and gracefully touched.

Shinichi looked out the window, at the woman disappeared in the pouring rain behind the third block. He looked back at the lovely girl laying on the bed. Her face still damp with the rolling drops both happily and misery.

His hand quickly on her face, gently wiped those tears away.

"Hey sweeties" He intimated her mom. He smiled at her round eyes surprisingly looked up at him. "Don't cry. She will come back soon, right?"

"Yeah" Ran beamed, presented her cute dimples. She had to cling to this hope.

"You seem scared of 'them'?"

"Huh? Me? I'm not" Ran just innocently told him the truth

"Really?" Shinichi pressed on her

"Yeah, my Mom… you know" Ran became caution with her words

"But, why…" Shinichi just continued asking, pretended it to be a small chat.

"She don't want to mess around. They aren't worth the time"

"Have you often met them?"

"No, just a few times in Japan"

Catching the inquiring look of Shinichi, Ran continued "My mom and I live most of the time in US, we just come back here to meet them"

"Oh, they don't come to the US?"

"NO, I guess they do but it's irrelevant to me?"

"Where do you usually meet them?"

"I don't know, I always fall asleep when Mom driving" Ran honestly answered

_Poor Ran _

_They don't completely trust her._

_But how can they trust her? She's pure, innocent and easily to get deceived_

Shinichi felt ashamed to take advantage of her and acquire information. But he was glad. The less she knew about them, the more she was safe.

Ran didn't know why Shinichi suddenly gather her into a hug, a tight hug that took her breath away but she didn't want to get out.


End file.
